Institute of Biophysics
of the Czech Academy of Sciences

Significant research activity

Institute of Biophysics, Czech Academy of Sciences (IBP), was founded in 1955 and became a part of the research infrastructures in Czechoslovakia and later in the Czech Republic. Currently, IBP scientists conduct basic research in various disciplines of biophysics, biology, and chemistry. Biophysical research is carried out through many methods, such as confocal microscopy, flow cytometry, and sorting based on fluorescent methods, CD spectroscopy, computer modeling, and electrochemistry. IBP is a research center in the Czech Republic performing epigenetic studies representing one of the significant trends in world science. In practical terms, attention is also paid to training in radiation protection, which is taught at Masaryk University in Brno. Activities of IBP scientists contribute to increasing the high level of knowledge and education in the Czech Republic as well as to the development of biotechnology and implementation of research results in practice. Within the scope of our activities, research teams develop international cooperation, including the organization of international scientific meetings, seminars, and training of international students in our laboratories equipped with modern technology. In collaboration with universities, scientists are involved in the educational activities of students and contribute to teaching at several universities in the Czech Republic. Education is mostly carried out at Masaryk University in Brno and Palacky University in Olomouc.

We aim to consolidate our position as a national center for excellent research, while at the same time, we are working on strengthening our position internationally. Every year more than 50 scientists of IBP participate at national grant projects and educate more than 70 pre-graduate and post-graduate students. Many scientists are (were) the principal investigators in international projects, such as projects guaranteed by Norwegian funds, EU grants Marie Curie, COST projects, projects supported by Howard Hughes Medical Institute, or Welcome Trust. The management of IBP promotes scientific research, also using the internal institutional support. In the Institute, we want to create suitable conditions for ground-breaking discoveries in biological and chemical sciences. For the best scientists, academic freedom, as well as financial and technical support, are guaranteed. The professional work is reflected by the relatively high intensity of citations of scientific contributions, initially investigated at the Institute. Highly reputable scientists work(ed) at the institute: the laureate of the most prestigious national award „Česká hlava“ (the Czech Head Award), and „Neuron,“ prof. Emil Paleček (the number of citations according to WoS is more than 14 000). Also, prof. Victor Brabec (the number of citations is more than 11 000), and laureate of the Academiae Premium, prof. Jiří Šponer (the number of citations is more than 18 000). Prof. Šponer is one of the most-cited scientists of the Czech Republic. Institute management also supports the activities of young scientists, and support women (parents) in science. In the younger generation (up to 35 years), a number of our postdoctoral scientists obtained prestigious Otto Wichterle award (the award of the Czech Academy of Sciences). Following scientists were awarded: Jiří Fajkus, Olga Nováková, Jiří Šponer, Miroslav Fojta, Jana Kašpárková, Stanislav Hasoň, Luděk Havran, Václav Brázda, Judit Šponerová, Lukáš Kubala, Jaroslav Malina, Roman Hobza, Martin Falk, Kamila Réblová, Veronika Ostatná, Hana Pivoňková, Michaela Pekarová, Zdeněk Kubát, Soňa Legartová a Vojtěch Novohradský, Miroslav Krepl, and Lenka Marková. We believe that internationally-recognized scientists of the Institute, as well as the promising young generation of scientists, guarantee a long-lasting and the high-level of science at the Institute of Biophysics.